• If your memory tells you that the Dolphins have made average or subpar quarterbacks look like Pro Bowlers in recent years, you’re right!

In three seasons, the Dolphins have allowed these passer ratings to these quarterbacks: 158.3 to Geno Smith, 102.2 to Blake Bortles, 136.7 and 146.5 to Tyrod Taylor, 118.9 to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Sunday, 126.3 to Josh McCown (who entered with two wins in his previous 22 starts). Ugh.

The Dolphins don’t need to worry about making an average quarterback look good Sunday. That’s only because they’re playing a great one: the Saints’ Drew Brees.

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“His ability to throw the ball is as good as it has ever been,” Adam Gase said.

• Linebacker Rey Maualuga, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, will practice this week, Gase said. If he responds well, he could play Sunday against New Orleans in London.

“We've got him practicing this week so that's a positive step,” Gase said. “We don't want to have a setback.. His conditioning has gotten better. He hasn't done anything in so long [and we’re] getting him to adapt to how he has to practice down here. He's a big guy but he's always been a big guy. He's a big man in the middle you can move around pretty well in the A gap.”

Safety Nate Allen didn’t play late in the game because of a hamstring injury, but Gase said he could have gone back in the game. Gase was non-committal on the status of Allen and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who missed Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.

Suh: I still have a lot of work ahead of me

Dolphins OC Clyde Christensen on Mike Pouncey's progress

Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Cutler speaks to the media after Dolphins lose to the Jets 20-6 on September 24, 2017. Al Diazadiaz@miamiherald.com

“We will see how this week progresses,” Gase said of Allen. “He was playing well. I don't know.”

• Tight end Julius Thomas has only six catches for 42 yards through two games, but Gase said he doesn’t blame Thomas.

“We haven't gotten the coverages that make him a difference maker,” Gase said. “Flex him out and put a safety or linebacker on him, that's an advantage for us. We haven't seen that. we've seen a lot of zone coverage.”

• Gase, asked if Jay Cutler (who has a mediocre 83.8 passer rating through two games) is behind because he wasn’t in an NFL camp until August: “I don't know if he's behind. He got hit early a couple times. He was trying to get out of the pocket. Instead of pushing off, he tried to escape. A couple balls didn't get out as well as we would like. Some of it is kind of timing. Need to keep getting better and working on stuff. I felt good coming into the [Jets] game passing game wise. we weren't crisp. I don't see any issues [with arm fatigue]. The amount of throwing he actually does, it's not a lot.”

Suh: I still have a lot of work ahead of me

Dolphins OC Clyde Christensen on Mike Pouncey's progress

The Miami Dolphins lost to the New York Jets 20-6 on Sunday September 24, 2017. Al DiazMiami Herald

• Gase, asked if more creativity is needed in playcalling: “Sometimes we feel that way. We're just not in a good rhythm, whether it's a series of bad play calls or we screw some things up. Just consistency overall, we just haven't had that. First week, it was OK. Last game was just a disaster.”

On his play-calling, Gase said: “First game, I was mad I couldn't find that one or two things in the first half to really get us going…. Last week, third down was a disaster. That’s obvious. It’s embarrassing. It was always something -- the play call, execution, don't finish the play, whatever it is, it was a mess.”

• Fox will nationally televise the Dolphins-Saints game at 9:30 a.m. Sunday from London, with No. 2 team Kevin Burkhardt and Charles Davis on the call.